Much is known about colonial Africa (or what Europeans did in Africa). Yet very little is known about Africa before its colonization. In this surprising history, Max Siollun uncovers a Nigeria not part of a backward 'dark continent' as European historians often attest.
Instead, many of its people were highly educated, living in democratic, sophisticated states, had international business and diplomatic relations, and produced world-class art, such as the Benin Bronzes.
Siollun also tells the stories of captivating individuals, such as the remarkable Dan Fodio family, who led a 19th-century revolution, overthrew three different 1,000-year-old empires, caused an intellectual reform movement, and wrote over 300 different books and poems between them.
This is a vital read for those who want to discover a forgotten era of West African history.
